Billy Napier was given everything he ever wanted at the University of Florida.
Like no other coach in program history before him, Napier was given an open checkbook to run his organization as he wished. His “army” of a staff was the biggest and most well paid in Florida football annals.
A few months after Napier’s arrival from Louisiana, where he led the Ragin’ Cajuns to a 33-5 record in his final three seasons, UF opened its $85 million Heavener Football Training Center that’s one of the nation’s premier football-only facilities.
Napier preached “process” and talked about being “detail-oriented” and “stacking days.”
“Right?”
But the details on Saturdays were consistently baffling. For instance, after falling behind early at Utah in the 2023 season opener, Florida had back-to-back productive drives. One ended in a made field goal and the second resulted in a deflating missed field goal from 31 yards out.
Nevertheless, UF forced a punt and was about to get the ball back trailing 7-3 midway through the second quarter. However, the Gators were flagged on the punt because they had two players on the field wearing the same number.
Four plays later, Utah scored a touchdown for a 14-3 lead. The Utes went ahead 24-3 early in the third quarter and cruised to a 24-11 victory.
Later in the 2023 campaign, UF was tied at home against a terrible Arkansas team. Trey Smack was about to kick a 39-yard field goal on the final play of the game, but UF was flagged for an illegal substitution. Smack missed the 44-yard field goal and the Gators lost in overtime.
There was last year’s game at Tennessee when UF absolutely dominated the first half. The Gators got into UT territory on all five offensive possessions in the first half, and they advanced into the red zone four times.
But UF was only ahead 3-0 at the break. On a night when RB Montrell Johnson was feeling it, rushing for 85 yards on just 12 attempts, Napier called a jet sweep to WR Eugene Wilson on a fourth-and-one play that got stuffed.
On the next drive, Johnson had runs of 23, 6 and 13 yards to set UF up with a first-and-goal opportunity at the Vols’ 1. If for no other reason whatsoever, Johnson deserved to be able to score the TD on that drive.
He should’ve been given the ball four plays in a row if necessary. But on first and goal, Napier called a QB sneak, and Graham Mertz fumbled the ball away.
A few plays later, UF’s Sharif Denson intercepted Nico Iamaleava and set UF up at the 11-yard line with 1:15 remaining. From there, UF went backwards.
First, the Gators were flagged five yards for a false start. After an incomplete pass on first and 15, Napier had to burn his team’s final timeout of the half to avoid a delay-of-game penalty.
Next, Mertz’s pass to Wilson was stopped for a one-yard gain. The clock continued to run. On third and 14, Mertz was sacked for a 10-yard loss.
UF had to rush the field-goal team on the field in the waning seconds. Smack made a 42-yard field goal with UF snapping the ball just before time ran out, but the Gators were given a substitution infraction to wipe the field goal off the board and end the half.
Indeed, Napier had found a way to score only three points in a half that saw his team in the red zone four times. It was complete ineptitude. It was utterly incomprehensible.
UF lost to the Vols that night by a 23-17 count in overtime.
Just two days ago at The Swamp in a 23-21 win over Mississippi St., UF extended its lead to 19-7 early in the fourth quarter. The Gators lined up to go for two, only to get flagged for an illegal substitution (sound familiar?). They went with the extra point for a 20-7 advantage after the penalty.
Therefore, when Mississippi St. was driving at UF’s 29 with 29 seconds remaining, it only needed a field goal to win (when UF could’ve had a three-point edge if it had made a two-point conversion earlier). The Gators were fortunate to get an interception on the next play to preserve the win.
Napier’s last win improved his overall record to 22-23, but three of his wins came over FCS opponents and three more came over Group of Five foes. He had a 16-22 record against Power-Five competition (P5 instead of P4 since UF lost to Oregon St. in 2022 before the Pac-12 imploded).
Napier posted a 4-11 record in 15 road games and went 5-17 against ranked opponents. His UF teams lost by double digits 15 times.
Fifteen double-digit L’s? You bet.
Even with the program’s new football-only facility and the school providing more resources than any other previous UF coach has been given, the Billy Napier Era is the worst in program history since World War II. In fact, Napier would have to win 16 games in a row to improve his winning percentage to that of Ron Zook’s during his tenure from 2002-2004.
Despite scoring 17 points or fewer 12 times during his reign, Napier refused to relinquish play-calling duties. This year’s UF team is currently ranked #95 nationally in total offense, #103 in rushing yards, #104 in scoring with its 22.4 points-per-game average and #122 in turnovers with 12.
If we eliminate the Gators’ 55-0 win over Long Island, an FCS opponent, they are averaging only 17.0 PPG this season.
With the exception of last November when UF beat LSU and Ole Miss in back-to-back weeks to launch a four-game winning streak to close the season, Napier’s tenure has been an unmitigated disaster.
It’s a hire that never should’ve been made. It’s a pink slip issued far too late.
So, what’s next? Here’s my list with Ole Miss HC Lane Kiffin at the top just like he was #1 on my list in 2021 when AD Scott Stricklin hired Napier.
The guess here is that Stricklin is being told to go after Kiffin first and foremost, but UF will have to move on if Kiffin’s Ole Miss team makes the College Football Playoff. The Rebels lost for the first time Saturday at Georgia.
As of early Monday afternoon, they were 4.5 or five-point road underdogs for Saturday’s game at Oklahoma. If the Sooners prevail, Ole Miss will probably need to lose once more to fall short of a CFP invite.
But the Rebels will be favored in their final four games, including a home contest vs. Florida on Nov. 15. They close the year in Starkville for the Egg Bowl.
If it doesn’t work out with Kiffin, you force Notre Dame’s Marcus Freeman to say no. It seems unlikely that Jeff Brohm would leave his alma mater and the city he grew up in, but there’s only one way to find out.
Would Kenny Dillingham leave Arizona St.? Probably. If UF strikes out on its top handful of options, James Franklin isn’t a bad fallback option. Franklin is probably receiving interest from Arkansas already, and his name might come up for presumed openings at Auburn, LSU and/or FSU.
Other potential names to watch include Washington’s Jedd Fisch, Missouri’s Eli Drinkwitz, Ga. Tech’s Brent Key and USF’s Alex Golesh.
It’s extremely concerning to this UF alum that Stricklin is conducting the search. His resume now includes the worst coaching hire in SEC basketball history (Rick Ray at Mississippi St.) and the worst coaching hire in SEC football history (Napier at UF).
Whatever the case, at least Florida football has belatedly brought the four-year nightmare to an end. That’s a good thing, “right?”